Collapsible crate



E. W. LANGRELL AND J. J. NUSS. COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED N0V.26 I918. 1,344,543.

Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

MVENTOR ATM/ME)! E. W. LANGRELL AND J. J. NUSS. COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

1,344,543. APPLICATHJN FILED NOV. 26, I918. 22,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

j IIIVEIVTMS am WW 4 AUOM'EK UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD W. LANGRELL, OF PENNS GROVE AND JOHN J. NUSS, OF CARNEYS POINT,

, NEW JERSEY.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1920.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, EDWARD IV. LAN- GRELL and JOHN J. N Uss, citizens of United States, residing at 343 Cypress St. and 314 Pine St, Penns Grrove and Carneys Point, respectively, in the county of Salem and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Crates,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to crates, and more particularly to crates for use in the transportation of commodities in such cases where the commodity can be safely trans ported from one place to another, and after delivery thereof, the crate can be suitably collapsed and shipped back to its original starting place, the collapsing of the crate for its return trip permitting of returning a larger number of crates to the starting place, by means of a box car or other mode of conveyance, than were originally shipped in the same car when the crates were in an open position.

Among otherfeatures, the invention comprehends a crate which when set up for use will be strong and durable, and which when collapsed, will take up a very small amount of room, and will be held in a collapsed position by certain parts which, not only perform the function of holding the crate in its collapsed or locked position, but also forman important part of the crate body when the same isset up for use.

In the further disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the crate showing the same set-up.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the crate in its collapsed or knocked-down position.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the crate, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the crate, as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical crosssectional view taken through'the crate as set up, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken through one of the rods, the full lines showing the same in upright position, and the dotted lines showing the same in locked position when. the crate is knocked-clown.

than the inner Referring more particularly to the views, the numeral 10 indicates the bottom or floor of the crate, and the numeral 11 the top thereof, the sides being indicated by the numeral 12, and the ends by the numeral 13. The sides 12 and ends 13 are hinged to the bottom 10 by suitable straps 14:, whereby the sides and ends can be swung from vertical into horizontal positions, and vice versa. The top 11 has the undersides of its side and end pieces 15 formed with grooves 16, which are made sufficiently deep on the undersides of the side and end pieces to form inner depending ledges 17 and outer depending ledges 18, the ledges, in fact, forming the longitudinal grooves 16, with the outer ledges 18 depending slightly lower ledges 17. By close reference to the views, it will be seen that when the top 11 is raised upwardly from what might be termed a knocked-down or collapsed position, the sides and ends 12 and 13 can be swung from their horizontal knocked-down positions into vertical positions, thus bringing the upper ends of the sides and ends 12 and 13 into the grooves 16,,the outer ledges 18 being adapted to have the upper rails or portions of the side and end abut against the former to prevent any further outward movement of the sides and ends, and so also when the top 11 is secured in place, as will be hereinafter more 7 will prefully disclosed, the inner ledges 1 from colvent the sides and ends 12 and 13 lapsing inwardly.

In the make-up of the crate, use'is made of rods 19 which may also be termed securing and locking elements, and which each consists substantially of a rigid upright 20 which is secured in the bottom 10 at the corner thereof, and which has pivoted thereto a swinging part 21 forming the main construction of the locking element, said swinging part being in the nature of a rod threaded at its free end to receive a thumb nut 22, with an expansible helical spring 23 arranged to encircle the upright 20, and rest upon the upper face of the side and end portions of the bottom. The part 21 is arranged to pass loosely through a plate 24; secured to the end of one of the side and end pieces, it being of course understood that there are four of the plates and also four of the rods or securing and locking elements 19.

knocked-down position.

Now referring to the views, it will be apparent that when a crate is in open position, or what might be termed a set-up position, the sides and ends, 12 and 13, will be rigidly held relative to the top and body, due to the hinged connection of the sides and ends with the bottom, and the relation of the sides and ends to the grooves and inner and outer ledges of the top, and the thumb nuts 22 being screwed down upon the securing and locking elements, will bear against the plates 2%, thus holding all of the parts of the crate in relative rigid position.

Now when it is desired to arrange the crate in a knocked-down position, the thumb screws 22 are loosened to permit of raising the top slightly upward, so that the sides and'ends can be swung downwardly into a horizontal position, to lie substantially parallel with the bottom; and when this has been done, the top is permitted to slide down upon the securing and locking elements,

until the top rests upon the horizontally swung sides or ends. Attention is now called to the particular manner of hinging the part 21 to the upright 20, and it will be noted that the lower portion of the part 21 is split as at 25, with the upper portion of the upright 20 having a reduced tongue 26 fitting into the split portion, and at which point the hinged connection is made. By this arrangement, when the top has been moved into knocked-down position, a slight down 'idlCl pressure on the corners of the top will move the same against the expansible action of the springs 23, until the' plates 2% lie below the points of hinged connection of the two parts of the securing and locking elements, and then the upper part 21 in each case can be swung diagonally downward and inward,causing said part to overlie the top, and also resulting in a projection 27 formed by the hinged connection or" the part 21 with the upright 20, to project over the plate 2 1 so that it would be impossible for the top to be raised, by reason of the fact that the part 21 in each case would not pass through the opening in the plate through which it normally passes loosely when the part 21 is in upright position. Thus the part 21 not only forms the means of securing the crate in a setup position, but also performs the function of a locking element to lock the top and bottom, and of course rigidly holding the inwardlyswung sides and ends therebetween, so that when the crate when in this position can readily be shipped from one place to another, and in fact, needs noother looking or holding part to secure it in Although we are aware that collapsed crates have been used and patented heretofore, and in fact are now in present-day use, these crates as a general rule necessitate the use of additional locking and securing parts,

sition, let the top drop down upon said sides and ends, and then swing the securing and locking elements, so that the parts 21 thereof will assume a diagonal and substantially horizontal position relative to the crate, thus locking the top against movement. 2 7

With this arrangement it will be clear that there is provided a crate embodying fewand simple parts that can be cheaply manufactured; that will not readily get out of order, and in which it is not necessary to employ skilled labor to operate the. construction for the purpose of changing the crate from a setup to a knocked-down position.

We claim: V V

1. In a crate, the combination with a top, a bottom, sides and ends, the latter hinged to the bottom and adapted to support the top when the same is in set-up position, of securing and locking elements, one for each corner, each securing and locking element consisting of an upright secured in the bottom, a locking part hinged to the upper end of the upright, and a projection formed by the hinging of the locking part to the upright at a point a distance from the lower end ofthe locking part, whereby when the top is in knocked-down position, the corners thereof will lie below the plane of hinged connection of the locking part with r the upright, permitting said locking part to be swung over the top, whereby said projectionwill traverse the corner of the top and lock the top against movement relative to the bottom.

- 2. In aerate, the combination with a top, a bottom, sides and ends, the latter hinged to the bottom and adapted to support the topwhen the same is in set-up position, of securing and lockingelements, one for each corner, each securing and locking element consisting of an upright secured in the bottom, a locking part hinged to the upper end of the upright, a projection formed by the hinginglof the locking part to the upright at a point a distance from the lower end of the locking part, whereby when the top is in knocked-down position, the corners thereof will lie below the plane of hinged connection of the locking part with the upright, permitting said lockingpart to be swung over the top, whereby said projection will traverse the corner of the top, and lock the top against movement relativeto the bottom, and a spring encircling the upright knocked-down position, and further, the securing of the top and bottom'against relative movement.

3. In a crate, the combination With a top, a bottom, sides and ends, the sides and ends being mounted to swing upon the bottom, and movable from vertical positions into horizontal or knocked-down positions, of inner and outer ledges on the underside of the top and forming grooves, With the upper ends of the sides and ends adapted to be received in the grooves and bear against the inner and outer ledges when the top is in set-up position said outer ledges depending farther than the inner ledges, and securing and locking elements on the corners of the bottom and having sliding association with the top, said securing and locking elements serving to lock the top in set-up and knocked-clown positions.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

EDWARD WV. LANGRELL. JOHN J NUSS. 

